Here at Vidzu Media, our four core values are integrity, leadership, teamwork, and heart. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is someone who embodies our core values. Recently, we had the opportunity to team up with the Saint Louis Art Museum (SLAM) to work on a set of video performances created by local artists. The performances were inspired by the depictions of Dr. King and the Civil Rights Movement by Moneta Sleet, Jr.
The videos created starred Kathryn Bentley as the program moderator, performer Joel P.E. King, dancer Heather Beal, singer Anita Jackson, and Marcus A. Creighton concluded the program with a reflection on behalf of Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Fraternity. All three performers performed original pieces.
Josh Guffey, Executive Producer, asked the question, “How can we translate what these artists are doing to the visual medium?” Faced with that concern, Guffey and other members of the Vidzu team set out to work.
The equipment used helped turn these ideas into real life. Vidzu used the Sony FS7 to shoot everything. This camera allowed us to capture high-quality images that emphasized the colors of all of the different lighting sources. The camera needed to capture both the light and dark of an image without losing any detail, which is referred to as latitude exposure.
Lighting and angles were also important in the making of these videos. The performers told a story in their performances, and with these stories, different themes needed to be highlighted in different ways. An example of this is in Joel P.E. King’s performance, he told the story of Dr. King’s funeral and his journey to Heaven. The lighting and angles helped bring the story full circle.
“In the end, you have to make the audience feel like nothing else is present” Guffey explained.
Blog post written by Jewellynn Wood
The videos created for SLAM in honor of Martin Luther King Day can be watched below.